


Soulmates: Soulmarks Confirmed

by inkandpencil



Series: SoulMark Soulmates [3]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Gen, Mention of Anders - Freeform, Mention of Avaline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-05
Updated: 2017-10-05
Packaged: 2019-01-09 09:51:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12273972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkandpencil/pseuds/inkandpencil
Summary: My take on the Soul Marks/Soul Mates AU. Mostly drabbles, but some short tales, all told from Nyxale Hawke's point of view.Nyxale Hawke is the eldest of the four Hawke children, her twin sister Liane is the one known as "Hawke" in Kirkwall and generally takes the lead. In this world, neither Carver or Bethany are killed by the Ogre, as Nyxale barely manages to react in time.Please see end notes for more information regarding SoulMarks!-----Nyxale and Varric have a discussion. After she practically concusses herself!





	Soulmates: Soulmarks Confirmed

I hate having to clear out the caves around Kirkwall. Something bad always seems to happen. This time was no different. We'd killed the last big spider when there was a rumble followed by the sifting down of dust.

It was our only warning.

As the ceiling collapsed, time slowed. I saw Liane, Avaline, and Anders. They were far enough away, and I hoped they wouldn't be harmed. But Storyteller was closer, and the rocks were coming down on the pair of us. Without planning, I lunged to tackle the dwarf out of the way, taking a blow to the head in the process.

I was unconscious by the time the dust was settling.

"-dnight, come on. Wake up. You're worrying me." Varric's concerned voice cut through the darkness and fog. I opened my eyes and groaned. My head throbbed as I sat up, and I was grateful for the sigh of relief from the dwarf.

"Uhg," I groaned. "What happened?"

"You tried to use your head as an umbrella," was the sarcastic response.

"Did it work?" I replied immediately, causing Varric to chuckle.

"If you can joke, you must be fine," he said.

"A headache, but a potion'll do the trick." I went to pull one out of my pack and noticed the severe damage to my right bracer. "Shit," I muttered as I unfastened the one strap still in one piece. "Well, guess I'll have to get that fixed once we're back in Kirkwall."

"Better the bracer than you, Midnight," Varric responded. I gave him a small smile, putting the useless bracer into my pack before pulling out a health potion, uncorking it, and drinking it, using my right hand. I heard his sharp intake of breath, but it wasn't until the potion started to kick in that I looked at him.

He was staring at my right arm.

More importantly, he was staring at the bit of 'ink' visible from where my sleeve had slid down when I'd raised the potion to my lips. The very bottom of the bird was visible, complete with stick clutched in talons and a few shards of ice.

"…Storyteller?" I asked softly, hesitantly. Brown eyes met mine and he stared right at me.

"Is it what I think…?" he trailed off because I'd pulled my sleeve up enough to show him the full Twin Mark.

"Yes," I whispered. His eyes did not move from the mark and I felt compelled to continue. "Initially, with the way the two of you danced around each other, I had wondered. Had hoped. It wasn't until I saw the parts of yours that time that I knew it was reciprocal."

"Reciprocal?" His gaze flicked up to mine before returning to the mark. I reached into one of my myriad of pouches with my left hand, withdrawing a folded slip of parchment. I held it out to him and he took it.

"Her mark is in Dwarven runes," I began as he unfolded the parchment. "Always has been. I always teased her about it whenever we'd meet a Dwarf or heard there was one in town. Lothering, mind. We got to Kirkwall and I still teased her a bit, but nothing like before. Then we met you and your brother and it somehow didn't seem right, at first, to tease her about you.

"After the Expedition, I recreated her mark on that slip and began to investigate." He was staring at the parchment. "Looking back, I should have known or realized it was your name, since no Dwarf in Kirkwall would tell me what it translated to." He chuckled, but it had an odd quality to it. So I kept speaking.

"Granted, I had my suspicions, but no solid evidence. Just before we came out here to this cave system, I managed to find a Dwarf who was not from Kirkwall and who didn't seem intimidated by the name I was showing him. He translated it for me." Varric looked up at me then, the expression on his face one of hope. It was painful to see, but I endured it.

"You're not just pulling my chain, are you Midnight?" he asked. I shook my head.

"You know I'm not cruel, Storyteller. Liane and I long ago memorized each other's marks. Her soul's mark has never changed. Mine's gotten smaller, but I still try to ignore it. I won't put my family in danger." I shook my head when he opened his mouth. "Not showing it, Varric." The use of his name shut him up fast. "At least, not now." He nodded, returning his attention to the name he held. He traced it with a finger.

"Why didn't you come to me for translation?" he asked after a few quiet moments. I blinked at him, but the question wasn't unexpected.

"Because I had my suspicions, of course." I shrugged. "And I was hopeful that it was you. You and Li get along so well, she's had at least a crush on you from nearly the start, and I didn't want you to send me on a wild nug chase if I was right. Which I am." Silence settled between us, then.

After a few more moments, I stood up and went to the pile of stones. I tested a few, attempted to climb them, then cupped my hands to my mouth and shouted Liane's name.

There was a faint response, but it was no echo.

"Storyteller and I are fine! There's an exit over here. We'll meet you back on the surface!"

"What if there's no exit to the surface that way?" was the response.

"These caves are warrens; there's always several exits to the surface! If we don't meet you back at our camp by tomorrow, then you can come looking!"

"Fine! But you both better be unharmed!"

"We'll be fine! See you back at camp!"

After that, there was silence. I let my hands drop to my sides before taking a deep breath and turning to face the Dwarven Rogue. He had folded the parchment again and was holding it out to me. I gently accepted it and put it back in my pouch.

"Well, Midnight," Varric said as he stood, "let's not keep them waiting."

"Yeah," I replied, pulling some string out and wrapping it around my right sleeve to keep it in place. "Let's go, Storyteller."

**Author's Note:**

> Notes on SoulMarks:
> 
>  **Dwarves** : Name in dwarven runes  
>  **Elves** : Song in their heads; only race that can have both the song and the marks on the skin  
>  **Qunari** : Intricate designs that symbolize the Qunari; unchanging and are indicative of where that Qunari is at that time of their lives  
>  **Humans** : Symbol that has meaning; changes as the person changes. They also will occasionally share the dreams of their soulmate once they have met them.
> 
> The names/marks show up on the other person. 
> 
> Varric, whose soulmate is Liane Hawke, bears her mark on his upper right arm, at the shoulder joint. Liane has Varric's name on the inside of her right forearm, in dwarven runes. 
> 
> When it comes to humans visiting the dreams of their soulmates, it generally occurs after the first face-to-face meeting and is not limited by race. For instance, after Liane and Varric meet, she begins to have nights where her dreams are empty. She gets the sense that she's underground, surrounded by rock, but it's not an oppressive feeling; instead, she feels warm and safe. As Varric is a Dwarf and Dwarves don't enter the Fade, his 'dreams' become a safe haven for the Mage. However, he does not enter Liane's dreams.
> 
> \--More information about the marks will be explained as these short stories continue!


End file.
